 | A Collection of Poems on Various Subjects |  |
51
An Epistle to a Friend.
Via recta ad vitam beatam.
Thou that a happy Life wouldst lead
Here, and enjoy hereafter Rest,
The Path of Virtue do thou tread,
Wherein none ever walk'd unblest:
Which that thou mayst not miss, thy Friend
The following Rules doth recommend.
Here, and enjoy hereafter Rest,
The Path of Virtue do thou tread,
Wherein none ever walk'd unblest:
Which that thou mayst not miss, thy Friend
The following Rules doth recommend.
Let to the Lord thy earliest Thought,
The first Fruit of thy waking Heart,
Be ev'ry Morning duly brought,
And offer'd as an hallow'd Part.
To Him thy Thanks are due, who kept
Thy Soul in Safety whilst thou slept.
The first Fruit of thy waking Heart,
Be ev'ry Morning duly brought,
And offer'd as an hallow'd Part.
To Him thy Thanks are due, who kept
Thy Soul in Safety whilst thou slept.
That Tribute paid, get up and dress,
And let thy Habit modest be,
Not gay nor costly to Excess,
And from fantastic Fashions free:
That Garb, methinks, is most complete,
That's without Affectation neat.
And let thy Habit modest be,
Not gay nor costly to Excess,
And from fantastic Fashions free:
That Garb, methinks, is most complete,
That's without Affectation neat.
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When dress'd retire, and wait to feel
An holy Breathing in thee rise,
With strong Desires to God! that He'ill
Bless thee in that Day's Exercise:
Well is that Course like to be run,
That is with holy Pray'r begun.
An holy Breathing in thee rise,
With strong Desires to God! that He'ill
Bless thee in that Day's Exercise:
Well is that Course like to be run,
That is with holy Pray'r begun.
Divine Assistance thus implor'd,
Thy proper Business set about,
While God doth Time and Strength afford,
That thou mayst finish it throughout.
What Good to do, thy Hand doth find,
Perform it with a chearful Mind.
Thy proper Business set about,
While God doth Time and Strength afford,
That thou mayst finish it throughout.
What Good to do, thy Hand doth find,
Perform it with a chearful Mind.
An idle Life by all means shun,
However great thy Incomes are;
Thousands have thereby been undone,
For 'tis the Devil's surest Snare:
Fly lustful Sloth, and always find
Work for thy Body or thy Mind.
However great thy Incomes are;
Thousands have thereby been undone,
For 'tis the Devil's surest Snare:
Fly lustful Sloth, and always find
Work for thy Body or thy Mind.
Feed not too high, nor curious be
In pleasing of thy Appetite;
Plain Things with Nature best agree,
Too rich, and much, destroy her quite:
Let Temp'rance, without more ado,
Be Butler, Cook, and Carver too.
In pleasing of thy Appetite;
Plain Things with Nature best agree,
Too rich, and much, destroy her quite:
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Be Butler, Cook, and Carver too.
But Moderation chiefly use
In drinking; of strong Drinks take heed,
Reiterated Cups refuse,
And take no more than thou dost need:
Who doth himself o'ercharge with Wine,
Makes, what God made a Man, a Swine.
In drinking; of strong Drinks take heed,
Reiterated Cups refuse,
And take no more than thou dost need:
Who doth himself o'ercharge with Wine,
Makes, what God made a Man, a Swine.
A Slave to th' Pipe by no means be,
Who but the de'il on Smoke would feed?
Since God was pleas'd to make thee free,
Ne'er come in Bondage to a Weed.
He hit the Mark, who all Excess
Declar'd to be in Drunkenness.
Who but the de'il on Smoke would feed?
Since God was pleas'd to make thee free,
Ne'er come in Bondage to a Weed.
He hit the Mark, who all Excess
Declar'd to be in Drunkenness.
In all thy Dealings Plainness use;
With honest Gains thyself content;
Another's Weakness don't abuse,
Nor use fair Words to circumvent:
Who heaps up Wealth by Fraud and Guile,
Heaps Wrath unto himself mean while.
With honest Gains thyself content;
Another's Weakness don't abuse,
Nor use fair Words to circumvent:
Who heaps up Wealth by Fraud and Guile,
Heaps Wrath unto himself mean while.
54
Be pitiful unto the Poor,
Compassion of the Needy take;
Relieve the Hungry with thy Store,
Provision for the Orphan make:
Who on the Poor doth freely spend,
To God, that well repays, doth lend.
Compassion of the Needy take;
Relieve the Hungry with thy Store,
Provision for the Orphan make:
Who on the Poor doth freely spend,
To God, that well repays, doth lend.
Of Widows and of Fatherless,
And such as can't themselves defend,
When Force or Fraud doth them oppress,
Plead thou the Cause and stand their Friend:
The Helpless who from Wrong protect,
May Help themselves from God expect.
And such as can't themselves defend,
When Force or Fraud doth them oppress,
Plead thou the Cause and stand their Friend:
The Helpless who from Wrong protect,
May Help themselves from God expect.
To Justice stedfastly adhere,
Without Respect to Friend or Foe;
Let neither Flattery nor Fear,
Make thee against thy Judgment go:
Impartial stand; let nought prevail,
But Right alone, to turn the Scale.
Without Respect to Friend or Foe;
Let neither Flattery nor Fear,
Make thee against thy Judgment go:
Impartial stand; let nought prevail,
But Right alone, to turn the Scale.
Of Pride and Stateliness beware,
An haughty Look and scornful Eye;
Vain-glory shun, Self-praise forbear,
All vaunting and Ambition fly:
For of all Fools, pronounce I durst,
The self-conceited Fool the worst.
An haughty Look and scornful Eye;
Vain-glory shun, Self-praise forbear,
All vaunting and Ambition fly:
55
The self-conceited Fool the worst.
Be hospitable, let thy Door
To Strangers open freely stand;
And if their Need thy Help implore,
Dismiss them with a lib'ral Hand:
Some have, receiving unknown Guest,
With Angels Company been blest.
To Strangers open freely stand;
And if their Need thy Help implore,
Dismiss them with a lib'ral Hand:
Some have, receiving unknown Guest,
With Angels Company been blest.
Among thy Neighbours live in Peace,
Occasions of contention shun;
Use all just Means that Strife may cease,
Where'er thou find'st it is begun:
Rememb'ring who it was that said,
They blest shall be that Peace have made.
Occasions of contention shun;
Use all just Means that Strife may cease,
Where'er thou find'st it is begun:
Rememb'ring who it was that said,
They blest shall be that Peace have made.
In Friendship constant be and true,
Thy Friend in Danger stand thou by,
Forsake him not whate'er ensue,
But for him even dare to die:
Who in true Friendship are combin'd,
Have in two Bodies but one Mind.
Thy Friend in Danger stand thou by,
Forsake him not whate'er ensue,
But for him even dare to die:
Who in true Friendship are combin'd,
Have in two Bodies but one Mind.
56
If thou prefer'st a married Life,
Let not a blind Affection guide,
But in the chusing of a Wife,
Let sound Discretion find the Bride:
Yet like and love before thou take—
What off again thou canst not shake.
Let not a blind Affection guide,
But in the chusing of a Wife,
Let sound Discretion find the Bride:
Yet like and love before thou take—
What off again thou canst not shake.
When having chose, thou now art wed,
Still bear in mind what thou didst grant;
Be faithful to thy Marriage-bed,
And keep thy solemn Covenant:
Who violate the Nuptial-ties,
Make God and Man their Enemies.
Still bear in mind what thou didst grant;
Be faithful to thy Marriage-bed,
And keep thy solemn Covenant:
Who violate the Nuptial-ties,
Make God and Man their Enemies.
If Children thou obtain'st, their Will
Subdue betimes, e'er it grow strong;
Indulge them not in ought that's ill,
Lest both thyself and them thou wrong:
Who let their Children headstrong grow,
Make sure their own and Children's Woe.
Subdue betimes, e'er it grow strong;
Indulge them not in ought that's ill,
Lest both thyself and them thou wrong:
Who let their Children headstrong grow,
Make sure their own and Children's Woe.
Toward thy Servants gentle be,
Not ruling with a rig'rous Hand;
The less imperious Thou they see,
The more thou'lt have 'em at Command:
He best is serv'd throughout the Year,
That's served more for Love than Fear.
Not ruling with a rig'rous Hand;
The less imperious Thou they see,
The more thou'lt have 'em at Command:
57
That's served more for Love than Fear.
To all be affable and kind,
Not surly and moross, but free;
By courteous Carriage others bind,
To love, regard, and honour thee:
Of all the Ways for rising high,
The safest is Humility.
Not surly and moross, but free;
By courteous Carriage others bind,
To love, regard, and honour thee:
Of all the Ways for rising high,
The safest is Humility.
Thy Anger, tho' provok'd, restrain;
Her perfect Work let Patience have;
By gentle bearing, thou may'st gain
Him that the Provocation gave:
A soft Reply makes Anger cease,
But hasty Words will Strife increase.
Her perfect Work let Patience have;
By gentle bearing, thou may'st gain
Him that the Provocation gave:
A soft Reply makes Anger cease,
But hasty Words will Strife increase.
In thy whole course, still have thine Eye
To God; His Aid therein implore;
On Him in all, for all, rely;
Him with an upright Heart adore:
A Blessing thee must needs attend,
Who dost with God begin and end.
To God; His Aid therein implore;
On Him in all, for all, rely;
Him with an upright Heart adore:
A Blessing thee must needs attend,
Who dost with God begin and end.
| A Collection of Poems on Various Subjects | |